Chapter 21 · Puppet Strings Snap

"Get your hands off me!" Sloane shrieked, her voice cracking as she tried to shove Kaelen away.

He didn't budge. It wasn't just strength; it was like trying to push against a mountain of cold iron. Kaelen had her pinned against the heavy oak workbench, his fingers digging into the wood on either side of her waist. His eyes weren't the loyal, golden pools she had crafted. They were bleeding into a terrifying, abyssal violet, swirling with a hunger that made her skin crawl.

"You told me to protect you," Kaelen hissed. The sound wasn't human. It was a vibration that rattled the vials of mercury and sulfur on the table. "I'm protecting you from yourself, Sloane. From your own pathetic weakness."

"I'm not weak, I'm your creator!" she snapped, though her heart was hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. "Now let go, or I'll strip the spark right out of your chest."

Kaelen let out a sharp, jagged laugh. He leaned in, his chest brushing hers, the heat radiating off him in waves that smelled of ozone and burnt sugar. "Do it. Try.